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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bay · pitch · mark · cell · bowl · press · nail · squash

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. press — newspapers
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. mark — a trace
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mark — a grade
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. squash — to crush
  9. press — a publisher
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. cell — a phone
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. squash — the sport
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. cell — in biology
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. press — to push

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com